Accessible version

St Bede's College

by Mark Ealey

Nia Toliver

Mark Ealey - August 3, 2022

IRP Old Girl

When Nia Toliver started playing rugby at age 12 she displayed such prodigious natural talent that people around her soon recognized that in the right environment she could achieve special things. With encouragement from her coaches in the ICEF (Inner City Education Foundation) she started physical training to enhance her speed and strength. At age 16 Nia was running 100m in 12.01 seconds and squatting 120 kgs in the weights room, but those around her knew that to develop her rugby skills and understanding of the game to the next level she would have to spend time in the right rugby programme outside the United States.

Nia’s coach at ICEF, Stuart Krohn, and International Rugby Programme (IRP) Director Mark Ealey had collaborated in setting up the ICEF boys and girls tour to New Zealand in 2011. The next step in that collaboration was to create an opportunity for an ICEF athlete to spend 22-weeks in the International Rugby Programme. That plan came to fruition in 2016 when 16 year-old Nia was invited to spend five and a half months studying in Christchurch while playing rugby for a Wednesday combined schools girls’ team and for the University of Canterbury Women’s team on Saturdays.

To provide her with a solid foundation upon which to lead her life in Christchurch we approached UCRFC women’s team coach and St. Bede’s College old boy Mark Meates (1976 head boy and 1st XV captain) and his wife Mary about hosting Nia. This connection was to prove extremely beneficial for young Nia as she started to come to terms with her potential and the challenges faced by athletes aspiring to play at elite level in sport. After all, Mark had been to the Los Angeles Olympics with the NZ Rowing team, so he knew a thing or two about the highs and lows of elite level sport.

During her time in the IRP Nia deepened her understanding of the need for athletes to be not only strong, fast and fit, but also to be aware of their own mental strengths and weaknesses. She worked hard on her skills and her game understanding and eventually her efforts were rewarded with recognition at the national level in the United States. She was player of the World Rugby tournament at Dubai in 2021 and then represented her country at the Tokyo Olympics, where she played a key role in Team USA beating Australia in their final Pool match.

Looking back on her experience in the IRP, Nia says, “The life skills young players acquire from being in an environment that encourages excellence during their secondary school years cannot be overstated. The IRP provides the direction and support you need to become a more rounded, better person.”

Those involved in the IRP are mightily proud of Nia’s efforts and achievements and wish her all the best for the years ahead.

This photograph shows Nia and Wakaba Hara after the USA vs Japan game at the Tokyo Olympics. Wakaba had followed in Nia’s footsteps in the IRP but was meeting Nia for the first time. 

Image by: Mark Ealey